Assorting apparatus.



PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

F. F. BAUKSTROM.

ASSORTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-16, 1905.

4 SHEETS-$111121 1.

PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

adfya No. 835,805. PATENTED NOV.-13, 1906. F. F. BAOKSTROM.

ASSORTING APPARATUS.

7 APPLICATION FILED DBO. 1a. 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHBBT 3,

. I ik ll .PATENTED NOV. 13, 1906.

- F. 11. BAGKSTROM.

, ASSORTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 16. 1905.

4' SHBETB -SHEET 4.

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- FRIDOLF F. BACKSTROM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

' ASSORTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 190 6.

Application filed December 16, 1905. Serial No- 292.042.

To all whom it may concern: I

Beit known that I, FRDJOLEF. BACKSTROM, a citizenof the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and use- Improvements in Assorting Apparatus;

and I do hereby declare that the followlng is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the-accompanying drawings,and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to sorting or grading a paratus designed toreceive articles of. di erent sizes from a mass and to assort them intodifferent groups characterized by uniform-sized individual artianimproved ascles in each group. The machine is adapted for use inassorting fruits, nuts, fact, any article which is to be scribed.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a machine made inaccordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof,partially broken away. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of themachine. Fig. 4 is an venlarged detail sect-ion taken on line4 4 of Fig.3. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on line 5 5 of Fig.3. Fig. 6 is a crosssection taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

pickles, or, in or commodity o varying size assorted m the mannerdeassorting apparatus made in accord ance with my invention embraces ingeneral j terms, a plurality of sections located successively videdwhich one in advance of the other and prosorted drop, being made ing tothe discharge end of the apparatus, so that the smallest articles aredropped through the spaces of the first sect ion of the apparatus,

the space of succeeding sections the larger articles are carried to-thedelivery sections are spaced a mg and assortin with traveling forwarding-surfaces 5 carry the articles to be assorted from one end of theapparatus to the other, and the construction of whichforwarding-surfaces is such as to provide longitudinal spaces in each 1section through which the articles to be as-' gradually wider from thereceiv ranged pulleys, and the ropes of the several art the requireddistance to. provide t through which the articles to be assorted aredropped. Means are provided which act upon the articles being assortedto facilitate e graduated spaces the passage of said articles throughthe assort-- mg-spaces formed between the forwarding,- ropes. This maybe accomplished by mount-- ing the rollers eng' 1 said ropes in a framewhich is given. lateral vibration or may be otherwise accomplished.Located beneath the ropes constituting the forwarding-surface of eachsection in positionto receive the articles dropping through the spacesbetween the ropes are means for con-'' veying away from the apparatusthe several sizes of the assorted artic es. Said conveying meansconsists conveniently of transverselydisposed conveyer-belts whichtravel toward the sides of the a paratus.

I have herein i bodiment of my invention, whic is hereinafter describedin detail with reference to the drawings; but it will be understood thatthe a paratus shown is merely illustrative and the detaileddescriptionwhich follows is not intended as limiting the scope of the invention.-

The illustrated apparatus comprises an outer frame consisting of aplurality of standards or posts 10 10 and two side rails 11 11, fixed tothe upper side rails slanting from the receiving to the discharge end ofthe apparatus. 12 12 desi nate the ropes or strands the upper laps ofwhich constitute the forwardsurfaces of the section. 'ng-ropes arearranged to lurality of asserting-sections,

The said forwar constitute a each section ifiering from the others inthe width of spaces between the ropes. The several sections offorwarding-ropes are sup-,- ported upon a common frame, as willhereinafter appear, and, as shown, the ropes of each section aredistinctfrom the ropes of the other sections. The forwarding-ropes ofaged by the upper laps oflustrated one ap roved em- I ends of saidposts, said each section are trained about -two upper and two lowerrollers 13 13 and 14 14, respectively. The shafts 15 of the lower rollers are mounted in bearing-boxes 16,;afiixed to the standards of themain frame, while the shafts '17 of the upper rollers are mount- ..ed inbearing-boxes -18, which are fixed to the side members 19 19 of an'innerframe, which latter is the vibratory frame herein-' IIO beforedescribed. 7 The transverse members i of said inner vibratory frameconsist of shafts 20, as herein shown, which extend through and arefixed to sleeves 21,.Figs. 3 and 5, which are fixed to the side membersor rails of the inner frame, the said sleeves 21 being herein shown asmade an inte ral part of a casting 23, on which is formed t e bearinsleeves 18 for shafts of the adjacent u per ro lers 13, as indicated inFig. 5. It wi 1 be observed that the upper roller 13 at the dischargeend of each section is located somewhat above the level of the adjacentupper roller, '13 at the receiving-end of the adjoining section, so asto facilitate the delivery of the articles being assorted from one setof forwarding ropes to the next succeeding set. The bearing-sleeves 18of such two adjacent u per rollers are therefore conveniently formsinteg'ral with the casting 23, as are also the sleeves 21 for the shafts20 at the points where such sleeves occur. Set-screws 22 22 fix the saidshafts 20 to the sleeve 21, Fig. 5.

The roilers 13 and 14 are peripherally grooved to maintain the ropesproperly spaced. The upper rollers 13 only partake ofthe vibratorymotion of the inner frame, the lower rollers 14 remaining stationary.Said shafts 20 constitute not only the transverse members of the innervibrating frame, but are also associated with the devices for givingvibratory motion to the frame, as will hereinafter ap ear. To this endthe shafts extend latera ly beyond the outer side framesand haveendwise-sliding movement in bearing brackets 24, that are fastened tothestandards 10, as shown in Fig. 3.

The upper rollers 13, about which the ropes are trained, are driven bymeans of a sprocket-belt 27, which is trained over sprocket-wheels 28,fixed to certain of the u per rollers 13. The said belt is trained aiiaoabout a sprocket-wheel 29, fixed to the shaft 29, extending transverselyacross the receiving end of the machine, and is trained also aboutidlersprocket-wheels 30 31, Fig. 1, at the delivery and receiving endsof'the ap aratns, respectively. The sprocket-belt is held in mesh withthe sprocket-wheels 28 of the upper rollers 13 by means of idlers 32,mounted in brackets 32, fixed to the adja cent side rail 19 of thevibrating frame. The transverse shaft 29 constitutes the drivingshaft ofthe apparatus and is driven through the'mediu'm of a belt-wheel 33 atone side of theapparatus. It will be observed that, as herein shown, butone of the u per rollers 13 of each section (that at the disc arge endof the section) is driven by the sprocket-belt 27, while the otherroller 13 and the lower rollers 14 are-idler-rollers. I

Referring now to the means for vibrating the inner frame and up errollers and the upperglaps-of the forwar 'ng-ropes, these parts "aremade as follows: 85 35 designate horizontal rotative shafts extendinglon 'tudinally of the apparatus, one on each si e thereof, and mountedin bearing-brackets 36, extending laterally from the posts 10 of theouter frame of the apparatus. Said shafts are driven from the main shaft29, through the medium of two vertical shafts 37 37, located at the feedend of the apparatus, which are connected at their up er and lower ends,respectively, by beveled gears with said main s aft and saidlongitudinal shafts 35. In this manner said shafts 35 are rotatedinopposite directions Fixed to said rotary shafts 35 adjacent to each ofthe transverse shafts 20 of the vibratory frame are cams 38, whichengage the lower ends of levers 39 39, pivoted to brackets 40, extendinglaterally from the main frame of the machine and bearing at their up erends against the ends of said shafts 20. referabfy said shafts 20 areprovided with antifriction-rollers 41, against which the u per ends ofsaid levers 39 directly bear. T e cams 38 of the shafts 35 are so setthat. the levers 39, associated with the opposite ends of each shaft,are swung alternately on their pivots, whereby the levers at one sideshift the vibrating frame in one direction and the levers at the otherside shift the frame in. the opposite direction.

The upper laps of the forwarding and as sorting ropes 12 of each sectionare disposed substantially horizontal, and the receiving end of eachforwarding-surface formed by said separated ropes is located below thedischarge end of the section in rear thereof, as clearly shown in Figs.1 and 5. Side boards 40 are provided at the sides of saidforwarding-suriaces of the sections, which extend from end to end of theapparatus and hold the articles being assorted on the belts. The lowermargins of said boards 40 are fashioned to fit closely the successivelylower. elevations of the up or laps of the forwarding-ropes, as indicateclearly in Fig. 5.

Located beneath each section of the upper laps of the forwardingropesbefore described is a conveying device for conveying the assortedarticles from the machine. Said conveying devices consist, as hereinshown, of transverse belts 42, trained about rollers or pulleys 43 onthe side shafts 35, each located centrally beneath the upper laps of theforwarding-ropes of its section. The assorted articles are directed tosaid shelf 42 b means of oblique directing-boards 44 44, w 'ch arefastened to the posts 10 of the main frame by means of brackets 45 45.Said pulleys 43 are fixed to the shafts 35 between collars 46, whichhold the pulleys from endwise movement. The companion pulleys 43 onopposite sides of the apparatus, aboutwhich each belt 42 is trained, areloosely mounted upon the shafts 35, and one pulley of each pair isproperly in place designed to be fixed to the shaft by pins 47,extending through the reduced ends of the pulley and the associatedshaft, Fig. 6, while the other pulley of the air is designed to remainloose on its sha t.. The fast pulleys therefore constitute the drivin-pulleys, while the loose pulleys are idlers. ach belt or conveyer 42may therefore be driven in either of two opposite directions by fixingone or the other of its pulleys to the rotating shafts 35. In thismanner the articles being assorted may be delivered to either side ofthe machine. If desired, one orall of said discharging belts orconveyers 42 may be extended some distance laterally from the machine,so as to carry the assorted articles to a distant place. One of thebelts 42 isshow'n in Fig. 2 as thus extending from the machine. Thelarger articles, which do not ass through the spaces between the forwarnigropes, are discharged from the last section upon a transverseconveyer-belt 50, like the belt 42, Fi s. 1 and 2, which direct the saidlarger artic es laterally away from the apparatus.

The apparatus may be provided with any number of asserting-sectionsdesired. In some instances the len th of the ap aratus will make itdesirable that each shar t 35 be made of two parts or sections disposedin dif-- ferent horizontal planes and connected at their ends bysprocket-belts 51, trained about sprocket-wheels on the adjacent ends ofsaid sections. This arrangement is ads vantageous in a long apparatus,inasmuch as it avoids locating the ends of the shafts at the receivingend of the a paratus and the conveyer-belts 42, carrie thereby, too farbe. low the upper laps of the assorting-ropes,

thus avoidlng too great a distance of the drop for the smaller articles.

Certain of the bearings 16 for the shafts 15 of the lower rollers 14 arefixed stationary to the posts 10 of the outer frame. To provide means oftaking up the slack of the forwarding-ropes, others of the bearings 16for the shafts of said lower rollers are fastened to said outer frame bymeans permitting movement of the bearings and said rollers. A convenientconstruction by which this result is effected is shown in Fig. 4,wherein two ad- 'acent bearings 16 are attached to an angle ar that isbolted to an adjacent post10 of the outer frame. Said bearings 16 are attached to the said angle-bar by means of bolts 56, which extend throughlugs of said bearings and through longitudinal slots 57 in thehorizontal flange 58 of said angle-bar, the attachment beingsufficiently loose to permit the bearings to move toward and from eachother. Aspiral contractile spring 59 is stretched between and isconnected with said two bearings in a manner to draw them to gether, andthereby take up the slack of the ropes of the two sections associatedwith said lower rollers. As herein shown, each spring 59 is attached atits ends to studs 60 60, that have screw-threaded engagement with saidbearings. 16. The articles being assorted which do not pass between theropes of the first section are carried to the succeeding sec tions, thevarious sizes of said articles finding and falling throu h their properspaces.

The articles to be assorted are delivered to the receiving end of theapparatus by means of a delivery-belt 61, that is trained about a roller62, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,)

fixed to the driving-shaft 29", said roller being located a distanceover-the receiving end of the forwarding-surface constituted by theropes 12 of the'first section.

The operation of my improved assorting a paratus will be obvious fromthe foregoing.

he articles to be assorted are delivered in mass by the feed-belt 61 tothe forwardin and assorting surface of the first section. and are by theropes constituting said surface advanced forwardly thereover. During theforward movement of said articles over said forwarding-surface the innerframe is vibrated laterally in a manner to facilitate the agitation ofthe articles and the smaller articles pass through the spaces betweenthe ropes constituting the forwardin -surface of said first section. Thearticles 'ch do not pass through the ropes of any 'ven section aredelivered successively to t e next forward section. The largest articlesof the mass are finally delivered by the forwardingropes of the lastsection to the transverse conveyer-belt 50 at the discharge end of theapparatus. The articles of assorted sizes are carried by theconveyer-belts 42 to either side of the machine desired in assorted lotsand delivered to suitable receptacles placed to receive the same.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an assorting-machine for the purpose setforth, a plurality of traveling forwardingsurfaces, each formed with aplurality of closely-spaced, parallel, longitudinal, assorting-spacessorted drop, said forwarding-surfaces being disposed in sections locatedsuccessively one in advance of the other from the receiving to thedischarge end of the apparatus, and the spaces of each succeedingsection being wider than the last section.

2. In an assorting-niachine, a plurality of travelingforwarding-surfaces having parallel, longitudinal, assorting-spacesthrough which articles to be assorted drop, said forwarding-surfacesbeing disposed in sections located successively one in advance of theother from the receivin to the discharge end of the apparatus, and t espaces of each succeedin section being wider than the last section, theseveral forwarding-surface sections being located in differenthorizontal planes, and the discharge end of each section being locatedabove and in position to deliver articles to the receiving end of thenext for.- ward section. I

3. In an assorting-machine for the purpose set forth, a plurality ofassorting and forwarding surfaces, each formed with a plurality ofclosely-s aced, parallel spaces through which artic es to be assortedpass, said surfaces being disposed in sections located successively onein advance of the other from one end of the machine to the other, thespaces of each succeeding section being wider than the last section, andmeans located beneath each traveling-surface section which receive'theassorted articles which drop through said spaces, and convey theassorted articles away from the machine.

4. In an asserting-machine for the purpose set forth, a plurality oftraveling, laterallyvibrating, forwarding-surfaces, each formed with al'urality of closely-spaced, parallel, longitu inal, asserting-spacesthrough which articles to be assorted drop, said forwardingsurfacesbeing disposed in sections located successively one in advance of theother from the receivin to the discharge end of the apparatus, an thespaces of each succeeding section being wider than the last section.

5. An assorting-machine including a forwarding-surface consisting of aplurality of elongated, transverse, grooved rollers and ropes trainedabout said rollers,- the upper laps of which constituteforwarding-surfaces,

and the spaces between the ropes constituting assorting-spaces throughwhich the articles to be assorted drop by gravity, said rollers beingarranged to dispose the said up er laps of the ropes one in advance ofthe other with the receiving end of each forwardingsurface in positionto receive the articles being assorted from the forwarding-surface nextin rear thereof.

6. An assorting-machine including a traveling forwarding-surfaceconsisting of a plurality of ropes trained about rollers and spaced atgradually-widening distances a art from the receiving to the discharge.end of the machine, and means for laterally vibrating said rollers andthe ropes.

7. An assorting-machine for the purpose set forth comprising a frame, aplurality of rollers mounted transversely in saidframe, andclosely-spaced parallel forwarding ropes trained about said rollers anddisposed in sections, one in advance of the other, the upper laps ofwhich constitute forwarding-surfaces, the ropes of the several sectionsbeing spaced gradually farther apart from the receiving to the deliveryend of the machine to provide spaces of increasing width through whichthe articles to be assorted drop.

8. An assorting machine comprising a frame, a plurality of rollersmounted transversely in said frame, and parallel forwarding-ropestrained about said rollers and disposed in sections, one in advance ofthe other, the upper. laps of which constitute forwarding-surfaces, theropes of the several sections being spaced gradually farther apart fromthe receiving to the delivery end ofthe machine to provide spaces ofincreasing Width through which the articles to be assorted drop, andmeans operating upon the articles being assorted to facilitate thedelivery thereof through spaces between said ropes 9. An assortingmachine comprising a main frame, a frame supported thereby, means forvibrating the latter frame, a plurality of rollers mounted transverselyin said latter frame, and arallel forwardingropes trained about saidsections one in advance of the other, the'upper laps of which constituteforwarding-suraces, the ropes of the several sections being spacedgradually farther apart from the receiving to the delivery end of themachine to provide spaces of increasing width through which the articlesto be assorted drop.

10. An assorting-machine comprising a main frame, a frame supportedthereby, means for vibrating the latter frame, a pluralitylof rollersmounted transversely in said latter frame, and parallel forwarding-ropestrained about said rollers and disposed in sections one in advance ofthe other, the uper laps of which constitute forwarding-suraces, theropes of the several sections being spaced gradually farther apart fromthe re ceiving to the delivery end of the machine to provide spaces ofincreasing Width through rollers and disposed in I which the articles tobe assorted drop, and

the upper laps of the ropes of the several sections being disposed indifferent planes, with the discharge ends thereof located above and inposition to deliver the articles to the receiving ends of the othersections.

11. An assorting-machine comprising a stationary frame, a vibratoryframe support ed therein, transverse u per and lower rollers mountedrespectively in the vibratory and stationary frames, means for vibratingthe vibratory frame and the rollers mounted therein, and a plurality ofparallel forwarding-ropes trained about the upper and lower rollers, theup er laps of which constitute forwarding-sur aces, said ropes and.rollers being so disposed as to constitute a plurality of sections offorwarding-surfaces located one in advance of the other, and the ropesof the several sections being spaced at gradually-widening distancesapart from the delivery to the discharge end of the'machine.

12. An assorting-machine comprising "a stationary frame, a vibratoryframe supported therein, transverse upper and lower rollers mountedrespectively in the vibratory and stationary frames, means for vibratingthe vibratory frame and the rollers mounted therein, and a plurality ofparallel forwardrollers, the upper laps of which constituteforwardingesurfaces, said ropes and rollers being so disposed as toconstitute a plurality of sections of forwarding-surfaces located one inadvance of the other, the ropes of the several sections being spaced atgradually-widening distances apart from the delivery to the dischargeend of the machine, and transverse conveying-belts located beneath theupper laps of the sections of the forwarding-ropes for conveying theassorted articles laterally away from the machine.

- 13. An assortin -machine comprising a main frame, a vi ratory framesupported therein, upper and lower rollers carried respectively by saidvibratory and main frame, said vibratory frame comprising longitudinalrails in which the upper rollers are mounted and transverse shaftsattached thereto and extending. outwardly through and having ticles tobe assorted drop, said spaces increasing in width from the receiving tothe discharge end of the machine, conveyer-belts extending transverselybeneath the forwarding-surfaces and adapted to receive the articles thatdro through the spaces of said forwarding-su ace, and means whereby saidbelts may be driven toward one side of the machine or the other asdesired.

15. An ass orting-li achine comprising a*- traveling forwarding andassorting surface provided with spaces through which the articles to beassorted drop, said-spaces increasshafts, designed to fix one of thepulleys as-" sociated with each belt to its shaft and to release theother pulley from its shaft and vice versa, whereby the belts may bemade to travel toward either side of the machine.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix mysignature, in resence of two witnesses, this 11th day 0 December, A. D.1905.

FRIDOLF F. 'BACKSTROM.

Witnesses: W. L. HALL,

G. R. WILKINS.

